Coupling-release mechanism



J. F. OCONNOR.

COUPLING RELEASE MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED OCT-4, 1920.

1,386,796. Patented Aug. 9,1921

WW7? By UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN F. OCONNOR, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WILLIAM H. MINER, 0F CHAZY, NEW YORK.

COUPLING-RELEASE MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 9, 1921.

Application filed October 4, 1920. Serial No. 414,660.

To all 20 h-om it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN F. OCoNNoR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Coupling-Release Mechanisms, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in coupler release mechanisms.

The object of the invention is to provide an exceedingly simple and inexpensive connector adapted to be employed between the usual coupler release lever and usual coupler locking pin.

In the drawing forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is an elevational view of the end portion of a car showing a coupler, release lever and my improved connector employed therewith. Fig. 2 is an elevational view looking toward the end of the car and illustrating more particularly the improved connector, and Fig. 3 is a detail perspective of one of the connector elements.

In said drawing, an automatic coupler of standard form is shown at 10, the same having the usual locking pin 11 provided with an eye or opening 12 at the top thereof as customary. The drawbar is slidably mounted between draft sills 13 and supported by a detachable saddle plate 14. A channel end sill is indicated at 15 and the coupler release lever is shown at 16, the same having an operating handle 17 and an arm 18 extended over the coupler at the center of the car, said arm having an eye or opening 19 at the outer end thereof in the usual manner. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the release lever may be of any desired form and will usually be detachably supported on the end of the car and of course operable from the side of the car. All of the parts above described may be of usual or desired form.

The improved connector, as shown, comprises two elements A and B which are preferably of like construction. Each is substantially in the form ofv a W having side arms 20-20, a central cross section 21 and inner vertically extending longer arms 2222. All of the arms 20 and 22 are arranged parallel but the plane defined by one outside arm 20 and adjacent intermediate arm 22 extends at an angle to the plane defined by the two intermediate arms 22. Stated in another manner, the outside shorter arms 20 are angularly offset with respect to the inner arms 22-22.

The elements A and B are preferably made of round rod or bar material of a size adapted to loosely extend through the usual eyes or openings 12 and 19. The size of the bar or rod material used is also made such that the corners or bends in the elements can be worked through the openings 12 and 19. The spacing between each side arm 20 and adjacent inner arm 22 is made slightly greater than the diameter or size of the rod' or bar material used so that the two elements A and B may be loosely interlocked or hooked over each other as clearly indicated in Fig. 2.

As will be understood from the preceding description, considered in connection with the drawing, one element, as for instance the element A, is centrally suspended from the eye or opening 19 of the manually operable release lever and the other element, as for instance the element B, is supported in an upright position from the eye or opening 12 of the locking pin. As shown in Fig. 1, the offset side arms of the upper element are located nearest the end of the car and, in the case of the lower element B, the angw larly offset side arms 20 are located farthest from the end wall of the car. It will also be noted that lost motion in a vertical direction is provided for between the two elements A and B as indicated by the space 30 to accommodate the inward and outward movements of the drawbar with respect to the car. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, upon turning of the lever in the direction indicated by the arrow 00, the upper element A will be lifted and en gage the lower element and the latter in turn will lift the locking pin. The connector is also flexible laterally as will be seen from an examination of Fig. 2.

I have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferred manner of carrying out the invention but the same is merely illustrative and I contemplate all such changes and modifications as come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a coupler release mechanism having a manually operable member provided with an opening and a locking pin provided also with an opening; a connector comprising two elements each of substantially W form, one element being adapted to be centrally suspended from the opening of said member and the other element adapted to be centrally supported'in a substantially upright position from the opening of the locking pin, the respective side arms of said elements being hooked over each other.

2. A connector for coupler release mecha nisms adapted to be used between a manually operable member having an opening and a locking pin having also an opening, said connector comprising two elements, one element having a section adapted to be loosely extended through the opening of said mem her and provided with a depending U-shaped section, the other element having a section adapted to be supported in the opening of the locking pin and provided with an upstanding U-shaped section, said two U- shaped sections being loosely hooked together.

3. A connector for coupler release mechanisms adapted to be used between a manually operable member having an eye and a lock ing pin having an eye, said connector com prising two elements each or" substantially W form with the side arm thereof angularly offset from the inner arms thereof, one of said elements being adapted to be suspended byits central portion from the eye of said member, the other element being adapted to be supported at its center in the eye of the locking pin, the said arms of the elements being loosely slidably interlocked.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 18th day of Sept, 1920.

' 7 JOHN F. OCONNOR.

\Vitness:

CARRIE GAILING. 

